Reader’s voice: July 22, 2014

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Why are city, state, federal and local governments allowing strip mining that close in Kanawha State Forest? If that mountaintop removal mine above Kanawha State Forest is allowed to continue, there will be no Kanawha State Forest. That state forest will disappear. Did you see that picture in that paper? Beautiful isn’t it, what we’re doing to our state?

I have been a cashier in a grocery store and in a convenience store. I have also been a recipient of SNAP benefits in the past. I can understand the view from both sides of the fence but the truth is, unless you’re just out to cheat the system, odds are that if you have an EBT card, you’ve fallen on hard times and need those funds to put food on the table. Even the poor deserve a snack. That’s not to say there aren’t people out there taking advantage of the system, though.

I see where Margaret Workman’s son was arrested for a DUI and possession of drugs. He kept telling the officer that his mother was a Supreme Court justice and they’d better watch out. We’ll see what happens. He’ll probably get a slap on the wrist and a $5 ticket.

If the Palestinians don’t like the results of the war, they around shouldn’t start one.

The whole President Kennedy thing has turned. It was what you can do for your country, but the Obama thing is what can your country do for you and how can we support you? I really think that’s bad.

I see on TV all these ads telling people to quit smoking. Really? If everyone quit smoking today, cigarette sales would go to zero and that’s where the money comes from to go toward that settlement. No cigarette sales, no money.

A scar afflicted on the body can last for a few days. It can last for years on your heart depending on the damage it has done.

I’m a Democrat but I believe that our president has no clue what’s going on in the world today. I admit that we made a big mistake re-electing him. Romney may have been a better choice.

Kanawha County is trying to succeed with the no-kill policy in its animal shelter. I hope and pray that it does. On the other end, Wyoming County with all of its coal cannot even afford to have an animal shelter. They do not take cats. You can’t get a cat picked up at an animal shelter. So don’t tell me that coal is the answer to West Virginia’s future.

Obama wants to send the immigrants back but the Republicans won’t help him at all. Just watch the news and read the papers. The Republicans want them over here so they can say that Obama let them over here.

The cops are going out after distracted drivers, huh? What about the cops that use their cell phones on the road. I have seen cops driving and talking on their cell phones all of the time, every day. If they can talk on their cell phones, why can’t we talk on ours?

All of those children you see wounded and killed on TV in the nightly news? Just remember, we are responsible for that. We are the ones who gave Israel those weapons and guns, and they are using them on innocent women and children. We are responsible.

If corporations are supposed to be people according to the government, which is wrong and corrupt, why aren’t they paying their fair share of taxes when they have these offshore accounts and don’t have to pay? They should be made to pay if they are considered people.

If Russia’s fingerprints are on the downing of this airplane, we need to do something and show them that this won’t be tolerated, but Obama will do nothing.

We are so grateful for our president for trying to keep us out of war, even in times where every other politician wants to push us into it. Thank you, President Obama for keeping a cool head.

I know that they have to ask, but does anyone get really, really annoyed when they ask you to apply for a credit card every time at HomeGoods and TJ Maxx?

People who complain about Obama supposedly being a socialist don’t complain about the benefits of the following socialist programs: military, police, firefighters, Medicare, Social Security, health care (via emergency room, for people who can’t pay), public libraries, public schools, government college grants, scholarships, and loans, roads (except toll roads), the FDA, etc.

Secretary of State John Kerry recently said, “Russia is supporting these separatists. Russia is arming these separatists. Russia is training these separatists.” Is he saying that it’s wrong to support, arm, and train separatists? Has he looked in the mirror lately at what the U.S. has been doing in Syria?

State workers work for their paycheck and are entitled to spend the pay any way they wish. EBT cards are paid for with our tax dollars and are not worked for, so we have a right to be concerned how our taxes are spent.

It’s well past time for the entire civilized world to ostracize Mr. Putin. The constant Russian campaign of mischief, denial, accompanied by disinformation has grown tiresome. Stalin would be proud.

Maybe if we change the name to the Washington Blueskins, the Democrats will shut up about it. To paraphrase William Shakespeare, “What’s in a name? The Redskins by any other name would still be an awful team.”